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Licking Valley Courier - 4.17.26 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

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Speaker 1: We now turn to the Licking Valley Courier to bring
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you news from in and around West Liberty. Your reader
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to day is Chris Greco. We begin with the addition
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dated April sixteenth as a reminder, Radio I is a
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reading service intended for people who are blind or have
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other disabilities that make it difficult to read printed material.
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The first article I will read is entitled water Board
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member stirs controversy with comment on citizen at public meeting.
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Remark from Commissioner DANALDA. Harper was heard on live video
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feed prior to adjournment. Harper Board chair Chris Adams offers
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apologies by Miranda M. Cattrell Cantrell. The Morgan County Water
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District Board of Commissioners is facing public criticism following comments
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made by a member during the entity's regular April thirteenth meeting.
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The events of the April thirteenth meeting. During the public
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comments segment of the meeting, local resident Caitlin Haney discussed
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his efforts to Catlin Haney discussed his efforts to secure
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water service to his home. Haine, who resides on Bethel
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Chapel Road off Highway one ninety one, indicated that he
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had previously addressed the board to regard in this matter.
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I want to reiterate my concern, Hainey said. You all
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know I was here before, and I'll continue to be
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here advocating for me and my family. Without County Water,
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it's putting our lives on hold. We can't build, we
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can't buy. We're sitting there where we're making zero progress.
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Haini referred to mcw D general manager Andy Legg, who
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had reportedly shown Haney a project listing of roads previously
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identified for water line extensions. I do want to give
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a shout out to Andy, Hainey said, I appreciate him
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for what he showed me. Again, this is not a
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personal at all to anybody here. The only thing it's
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personal to is me and my wife because it's twenty
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twenty six and everybody deserves access to County water. The
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paper work that Andy has shown me that through Gateway
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Area Development District it is six to ten years out
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for water service. That's just absolutely unacceptable. Commissioner Dunaldo Harper
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inquired as to whether Haney had drilled a well on
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his property, and he responded that he had, before describing
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well usage as not feasible, no offense. But this isn't
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about the well, Haney said, It's about getting county water.
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That's thousands of more dollars with as deep as I
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to have to drill again. I'm reaching out to Frankfort,
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et cetera. I'm asking that we work together throughout this.
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It shouldn't be all on me to reach out and
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seek for the funding, and I feel like it is
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right now. I'm not blaming you all. I just think
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we've got to explore other avenues to get to a
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common goal, whatever that looks like. Haney noted that he
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had learned from discussions with individuals in Frankfort of the
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state's Water and Waste Water Assistance for Economically Restrained Systems
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WWA TEERS grant program and urged board members to apply
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for those funds. It stated, per a representative of this
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area that Frankfort is not giving any money for upgrades
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in the budget. Haney said, so how hard are we
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pushing for those funds? How hard are we looking at
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those MCWD general manager Andy Legg told Haney that MCWD
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had received five hundred thousand dollars in w Water's funding,
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noting that the project listing he had previously showed Haney
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included roads requested by former MCWD General Manager Shannon Elam
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prior to Elam's twenty twenty four departure from WC from MCWD.
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MCWD board chair Chris Adams clarified to the Courier, as
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noted previously in this publication, that the w water funds
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awarded in twenty twenty five were allotted for payment of
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outstanding debts that were incurred during the administration of Elam
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and the previous MCWD board. However, Legg told Haney that
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if Haney could make time to meet, they would contact
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Gateway Area Development District and other entities together to seek
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a solution to Haney's situation. So what other avenues are
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there to get funding and resources besides Gateway, Handy asked,
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There's got to be more than Gateway, right. Chairman Chris
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Adams cited Gateway Area Development District, the w Waters Program,
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and the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority before referencing the previous administration's
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outstanding debts. Commissioner Harper noted that the payment of the
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above mentioned debts had been ongoing for two years before
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she and Chairman Adams expressed concerns about possible issues with
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extending water lines to a private dwelling beyond a water meter.
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If it's just for you, just for one place, Commissioner
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Harper clarified, eliciting a response from Haney, I'm going to
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stand up for myself and my wife, Haney said, I
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don't care if it's one or one hundred. I don't
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know what you're saying, but I'm going to say what
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i'm going to say too. Chairman Adams further stated that
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mc w d D is at the mercy of the
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Kentucky Public Service Commission PSC, which must approve of all
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mcwd projects. Before Lake indicated that a pump station must
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be installed to provide adequate water pressure. Haini outlined problems
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regarding his well, including low water pressure, hard water, and
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water stains, prompting Chairman Adams to state that residents in
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several other areas are currently facing the same issues. Chairman
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Adams also concurred with Haney that all residents should have
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access to clean water. Commissioner Paddy Cordero asked if the
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pump station would transport the water all the way to
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Haney's home, depending on the size of the station. Yeah,
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Lake said, if the engineer's engineer a big enough citch station,
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it would take water all the way to his house.
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Hainey asked about the possibility of seeking funds for a
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pump station. Before we can get approved, we have to
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have an engineer draw it up and get it all
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mapped out. Lake said, we would have to submit the
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plans to the PSC and they would go from there.
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If we weren't governed by the PSC, these five people
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right here could say go ahead and do it or not.
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Commissioner William Lamaster stated that the PSC would have a
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project decision on financial considerations and whether m c w
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D could recoup the costs through water usage payments. Hainey
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then referenced to an earlier water loss report from LEG
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citing water loss totaling four million gallons or fifty six
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point three five percent in the month of March. Losing
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four million gallons was an accident. Chairman Adams replied, we're
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doing everything we can to get this water loss down,
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but accidents do happen, Pipes do break, and you can't
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help it. Hainy responded, I think you need to look
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at revising the whole system to ensure those things don't
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happen and be more proactive instead of reactive. Those things
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need to be checked frequently. Leg further clarified the water
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loss report to the Courier on April fourteenth. Water loss
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was higher in the month of March due to an
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equipment malfunction. Lake said, we have the parts ordered to
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fix it. We have temporarily fixed it until the parts
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got here get here to fix it permanently. Hainey thanked
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board members for hearing his concerns prior to leaving the meeting.
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The only other audience member in attendance at the time,
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Walker Crace, a candidate for the office of Judge Executive,
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also left the meeting a few minutes after Haney. As
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board members continue to discuss other issues, conversation continued following
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the departures of Hani and Crace as Commissioner Harper returned
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to the issue of Haney's request regarding Bethel Chapel Road.
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So I asked him how far down did they drill
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to hit water at his house? Harper said, in reference
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to Haine's well, it was going to cost too much
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to drill it down too far, but he doesn't care
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that it's going to cost us an arm and a
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leg to put water to his house. I don't care
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if that little s blank blank t ever gets water.
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Commissioner La Master immediately made a motion that was seconded
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by Commissioner Ellen Motley to adjourn the meeting as Mountain
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Telephones video feed ended post meeting comments. The Courier on
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Tuesday morning spoke with Commissioner DONALDA. Harper regarding her closing
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remarks about Catlin Haney. I agree that everyone deserves to
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clean water, Harper said, I probably should have worded my
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statement in another way, but Haney was told six to
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ten years for water service by higher ups than the waterboard.
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There is only so much we can do. Later Tuesday evening,
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Commissioner Harper shared the following statement via Facebook. I would
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like to apologize for my verbal opinion that I made
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last night about a citizen getting county water. It was
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just that my opinion. But I would also like to
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explain that we have never denied him water. We offered
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to set a meter beside the last meter set on
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his road at his expense. He would be responsible for
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running the water line from that meter to his house,
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which we were told was around one fourth of a mile.
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We can't just throw up a pump station to get
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water to one residence. We are all talking thousands and thousands.
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We are talking thousands of thousands of dollars that would
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be passed on to the taxpayers of this county. We
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as a board have worked tirelessly to make positive changes
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for the water company and its customers. We have just
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about eliminated all of the delinquent debt that was left
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behind by the former administration. But once more, I want
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to apologize for my verbal opinion. Board Chairman Chris Adams
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also commented on the matter of Commissioner Harper's statements. As
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for the comment made by a board member, one's view
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or opinion does not speak for the whole board. Adam
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said the comment should not have been made and I
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apologize for the comment. Chairman Adams further discussed Hainey's request.
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To address mister Haney's desire to have water run to
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his home, we have offered to set a meter at
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his cost, as for all water customers, Adams said, by
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PSC regulations, we can only install a meter at the
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beginning of his driveway. We cannot install water lines from
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his meter once he chooses to have that placed. That
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is the customer's obligation as it has always been, and
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we cannot make an exception. Our priority is to reach
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areas with multiple families. Hainey reiterated to w l e
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X on Tuesday that he will continue to advocate for
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water access and again expressed his desire to work with
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MCWD on the issue. Is it disappointing, yes, that the
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comment was made, Haney told w l e X. I
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feel like it's unprofessional if you're serving some type of
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board in that type of public setting. I feel like
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it's important that we work together and find ways to
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remain professional. I'm going to be persistent and if folks
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are out there and can help provide access to resources
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or avenues, that I can continue to reach out. But
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I think that we as a water board in Morgan
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County and myself and other individuals have to find ways
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to work together. The meeting, which Mountain Telephone broadcast on television,
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as well as the Spree TV Productions Facebook page and
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YouTube channel, has garnered significant attention on social media, with
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commentators largely classifying Commissioner Harper's comments as unprofessional and several
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calling for her dismissal from the mcd board. Some posters
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also urge the public to contact Judge Executive Jim Gaszy's
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office with complaints regarding Commissioner Harper's statements. As MCWD board
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commissioners are appointed by the Judge Executive. Judge Gaza, who
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is out of state for his father in law's funeral
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at press time, told the Courier that he plans to
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address the matter upon his return additional information. The next
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meeting of the Morgan County Water District Board of Commissioners
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is scheduled for six pm Monday, May eleventh, at the
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County Government Building located at four point fifty Preston Burgh Street.
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The next article is entitled Senator Smith announces twelve point
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nine nine million dollars for local road bridge improvements. Frankfort, Kentucky,
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April thirteenth, twenty twenty six. Senator Brandon Smith, representative of Hazzard,
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has secured twelve point nine million twelve point nine nine
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million dollars to support road bridge and highway improvements in
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Morgan County through the state's various road related budget legislation.
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Major investments were secured through the state's biennial Plan House
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Bill five oh two, which focuses on projects to improve safety, mobility,
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and access across Morgan County. Biennial road projects in the
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county include first eight point seven nine million dollars to
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improve Kentucky Highway two four nine eight from US Highway
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four sixty to the ARH Hospital, enhancing access to critical
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health care services. Next two point seventy five million dollars
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for right of way acquisition to reconstruct Kentucky Highway seven
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from mile point two point seven to mile point five
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point six, improving a key regional corridor. Next four hundred
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and twenty five thousand dollars for design, right of way,
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utility work and construction to improve site distance at the
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intersection of US Highway four sixty and Kentucky Highway two
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four nine eight in West Liberty. In addition to road,
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bridge and highway investments included in the Buy Any Road Plan,
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Smith announced targeted funding secured through the Local Assistance Road
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Program House Joint Resolution seventy six to support resurfacing projects
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across Morgan County. The plan includes one point zero two
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four million dollars for projects identified as priorities by local officials.
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Local road projects receiving support include two hundred and sixty
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seven thousand dollars to resurface Pleasant Run Road, two hundred
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and fifty eight thousand dollars to resurface Big Mandy Road,
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two hundred and thirty nine thousand dollars to resurface Centreville Road,
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one hundred and ninety eight thousand dollars to resurface Lick
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Branch Road, fifty eight thousand dollars to resurface Ryan Road,
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four thousand dollars to resurface East Bear Branch Road. Morgan
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County plays a critical role in connecting this region. Smith said,
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our work to secure major investments that reflect that importance,
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improving access to healthcare, strengthening hey corridors, and upgrading local
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roles will have a lasting impact on the commit unity.
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Additional funding opportunities for local governments. Additionally, fifty million dollars
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over the next two years is prioritized for the County
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City Bridge Improvement Program CCBIP. The funding is designated to
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the Kentucky Transportation Cabinets Department for Rural and Municipal aid
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for rehabilitation and replacement projects on county and city owned bridges.
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Counties must apply for grant rewards using the CCBIP application.
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In fiscal year twenty twenty seven, twenty four million dollars
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was allocated for a new grant pool for cities and counties.
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This grant opportunity will provide up to one hundred thousand
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dollars to counties for various transportation projects such as widenings, sidewalks,
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and paving. Counties are required to match funding dollar for
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dollar to draw down these state funds. Further, up to
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one hundred thousand dollars is available for cities that are
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county seats. Cities would also need to match dollar for dollar.
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If a county seat does not use all one hundred
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thousand dollars available, other cities in the county me apply
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for the remainder. Finally, in fiscal year twenty twenty eight,
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lawmakers are providing an additional thirteen million dollars to counties
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through the revenue sharing formula also known as the Formula
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of fifths, and another thirteen million dollars to cities through
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a similar formula. This funding is divided among counties and
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cities based on population additional information. Senator Brandon Smith, representative
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of Hazard, represents the thirtieth Senate thirtieth Senate District, which
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includes Brevitt Estell, Lee, Leslie, macgoffin, Morgan, Perry, Powell, and
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Wolf Counties. Smith serves as chair of the Senate Natural
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Resources and Energy Committee. He is also a member of
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the Senate Committee on Transportation, Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection,
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and Banking and Insurance. Additionally, Smith serves on the Budget
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Review Subcommittee on Economic Development, Tourism, Natural Resources, and Environmental Protection.
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During the twenty twenty five interim, he served on the
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Kentucky Housing Task For the next article is entitled County
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Spring Church Singspiration set for Sunday Night. The Morgan County
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Spring Church Sinspiration will be this Sunday night, April nineteenth,
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at six p m. The West Liberty Methodist Church will
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host the event. West Liberty Methodist is located on the
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corner of Maine and Prestonburg Streets in beautiful downtown West Liberty.
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It is the white brick church with the cross and
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flame emblem on the steeple side. The Morgan County Ministrel
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Association organizes this semi annual event, with one version in
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the spring of the year April and the other in
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the fall. September October. The Sinspiration location has been rotated
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amongst a number of churches throughout Morgan County over the years.
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The evening is a simple time of worship in praising
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the Lord, believe it or not, no preaching. Various churches
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will provide choirs, small singing groups, worship teams and individuals
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to share their talent with the gathered congregation. The evening
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concludes with a time of ree freshmans and fellowship. Please
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contact Reverend Jamie Brunk at six zero six four three
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eight six one three seven as soon as possible to
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be included on the program list. The next article is
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entitled Blood drive is slated for today at Christian Church, Lexington, Kentucky.
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Kentucky Blood Center KBC helps save local lives, but it's
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only possible through the generous donation of blood from its donors.
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Donor support is needed at an upcoming blood drive in
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this area. Donations at drives like this one provide life
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saving blood products to more than seventy hospitals in Kentucky.
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KBC will recognize your support with a KBC T shirt
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while supplies last. The Morgan County Community Blood Drive will
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be one to six PM Thursday, April sixteenth at the
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West Liberty Christian Church Fellowship hal located at three zero
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four Prestonburg Street and West Liberty. KBC needs four hundred
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donors a day to maintain a healthy blood supply for
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its local hospitals. Support it drives like this one is
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critical to meeting the daily demand for blood. The need
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is considerable and consistent. One in four people will need
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a blood transfusion in their lifetime for a wide range
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of treatments including cancer, traumas, diseases, organ transplant surgeries, childbirth,
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and more. Blood donors must be at least seventeen years
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old sixteen with parental consent, weigh at least one hundred
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and ten pounds, be in good health, show a photo
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ID and meat additional requirements. Appointments are preferred, but walkins
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are welcome. To schedule a donation, visit k Y Blood
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Center dot org or call eight hundred seven seven five
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two five two two. The next article is entitled Deadline
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to apply for home Makers Scholarship May first initiated thirty
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six years ago by the Morgan County Extension Home Maker's
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Executive Council. County Wide fund fundraising project of selling fresh
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crop pecans has made moneies available for a special scholarship.
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Proceeds from the pecan sales are used to offer a
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five hundred dollars scholarship each year to a Morgan County
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High School senior. In addition to having fresh pecans for
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holiday giving and baking, purchasing the pecans from Extension Homemakers
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has provided some financial assistance to a deserving Morgan County
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student annually. This scholarship may be applied to any post
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high school training course, trade school, vocational technical school, as
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well as as well as for any two or four
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year college. It is not limited to those in family
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and consumer sciences related studies. Any Morgan County High School
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senior student, male or female, is eligible to apply. Scholastic
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Ability is just one of the criteria used to selecting
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the recipient. Each applicant must also give a teacher reference
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who submits a letter as to the student's attitude, honesty, perseverance,
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and the likelihood for success. These are important factors in
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selecting the recipient. A transcript, five hundred word autobiography and
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photograph must be submitted with the application. Each application may
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be interviewed each hour Pplicans may be interviewed by members
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of the Scholarship Committee and Morgan Homemaker Executive Council representatives
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at times to be determined after applications are received at
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the Morgan County Extension Service located at one zero zero
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two Preston Broke Street. Any student interested in applying for
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this Extension Homemaker Scholarship may obtain the application from the
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Morgan County Cooperative Extension Service, Morgan County Public Library, or
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the Morgan County High School Guidance Office. Deadline for applications
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is May one, twenty twenty six. For further information pertaining
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to this scholarship, contact the Morgan County Extension Office at
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seven four three three two nine two or stop by
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the office located at one zero zero two Prestonsburg Street.
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The next article is entitled Rotary Club hosts political forum
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ahead of May nineteenth primary. Courier document speeches from candidates
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for offices of Judge, Executive and Sheriff by Miranda M. Cantrell.
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The West Liberty Rotary Club hosted a political forum for
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candidates in the upcoming primary and general elections on the
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evening of Thursday, April ninth, at the Morgan County Board
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of Education Office. Twenty three candidates for state, local, and
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federal offices attended the event, which also included a cake
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and pie auction to raise money for Rotary Club projects.
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Though each of the attending candidates addressed the audience, the
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Courier has opted to limit covers to those running for
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the offices of Judge Executive and Sheriff due to space
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and time constraints Judge executive candidates. All candidates for County
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Judge Executive, including Republicans Jim Gazey, James David Green, and
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Kenneth Kelly Bowman, and Democrat Walker Crace, were in attendance.
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The following are brief synopsis of their remarks in the
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order in which they spoke. Kenneth Kelly Vellman, Republican. Bowman
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outlined his extensive career resume, including an eighteen month stand
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at Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex before serving twenty plus years
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with the Kentucky State Police KSP. During his tenure at KSP,
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he held many ranks and served as more head post
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commander prior to his retirement. Since then, he has been
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instrumental in the development of a police department for the
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Menifee County School District, where he is currently employed. In
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regard to the Judge Executives race, he stated that while
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some individuals had urged him to criticize County Road Department
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operations during January's ice storm, he had opted not to
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those guys were doing their best. He indicated that he
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would develop a plan to utilize private contractors during weather events. However, Additionally,
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he discussed the need for more local youth activities and
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expressed a desire to see the former Town Cinema reopened.
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He also pledged support for first responders. They shouldn't have
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to beg, steal and borrow to have equipment. Bowman said,
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it's not important until it's really important, and then it's
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too late. Next James David Green, Republican, Green touted his
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thirty five years of experience with the Kentucky Department of
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Corrections DOC. He noted that he was awarded over three
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different state prisons, including each from Kentucky Correctional Complex prior
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to his retirement in August twenty twenty four. He stated
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that via this leadership role, he has amassed experience with budgets,
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managing employees, and acquiring tens of millions in funds from
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state government. During this time, he also deployed inmate crews
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for various community projects. As you can see, I get
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things done for the people of Morgan County, Green said.
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In regards to the Judge executives Race, he outlined an
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extensive platform addressing roads maintenance, collaborative and all inclusive plans,
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economic development, pursuit of new businesses and providing tax incentives
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for new industry infrastructure, preventive maintenance of facilities, preservation of
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historical buildings and pursuing funds for water line extensions, youth activities,
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pursuing a theater, indoor shooting range, reopening of the public pool,
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enhancement of recreational facilities and establishment of new facilities for
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senior citizens and veterans, and county wide trash clean up.
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I am committed to working with magistrates and county employees
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to make Morgan County a better place to live for
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our children, seniors, veterans, and all residents. Green concluded Walker
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Crase Democrat. Crace, who is unopposed in the Democratic primary,
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addressed issues concerning party affiliation. I asked that Morgan County
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people do not judge me by the D next to
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my name on the ballot because I am not defined
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by a label. I am a lifelong resident of this community,
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just like you. He went on to describe himself as
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a conservative Democrat who stands on Christian values, personal responsibility,
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and deep commitment to serving others. He outlined his experience
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in the military, law enforcement, and as a small business
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owner before countering concerns regarding his age. While I am
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in my early thirties, I bring a lifetime of experience
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in college athletics, military service, years in law enforcement, business ownership,
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and most important, being a father, Cray said, before stating
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that he is an advocate of the youth, a supporter
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of seniors, and a voice for everyone in between. Additionally,
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he indicated he will develop cooper relationships with county employees, magistrates,
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and other local leaders. Before concluding his remarks, I'm not
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really about party lines or politics, Cray said, It's about trust.
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Who do you believe will show up, follow through and
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deliver for this county. That's the choice for you. Next.
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Jim Gaze, Republican Gaz, the incumbent judge executive, prefaced his
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remarks by lauding county employees and Fiscal Court members for
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their service to the county. He gave an overview of
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his efforts to rectify several issues during his term. When
25:31
I came into office in January twenty twenty three, we
25:33
faced millions in unpaid debt, chaotic budgets, and struggling services. Today,
25:38
we have a more efficient government that spends your tax
25:40
dollars wisely and has re established credibility both at the
25:44
state and federal level. He established several priorities for a
25:48
second term, including continued economic development efforts to attract job
25:52
opportunities in manufacturing, energy, logistics, and agriculture, noting that he
25:56
has applied for one point five million dollars in state
25:59
funding for in industrial growth, advocating with the Kentucky Police
26:02
Service Commission for necessary grid investments and cost effective utility rates,
26:08
advancement of road bridge, broadband, water and sewer projects, and
26:11
supporting affordable housing and families with children in partnership with
26:15
the Kentucky Housing Cooperation and Gateway Area Development District. He
26:20
pledged to provide experienced, responsible leadership with balanced budgets, transparent reports,
26:27
zero based budgeting, and no broad tax increases, and reafformed
26:31
his reaffirmed his commitment to transparency, integrity, and equal treatment
26:35
of every family, before expressing optimism for the future. With
26:40
our hard working people, strong farms, deep faith, rich heritage,
26:43
we are building a place where our children and grandchildren
26:46
can thrive. Gaze said, I humbly ask for your votes
26:50
so we can keep this positive momentum going and make
26:52
Morgan County even stronger together sheriff candidates. Four of the
26:58
five candidates for sheriff, including report publicans Kenneth Scarberry, Jeffrey Smith,
27:02
and Roger Benton, and Democrat John Paul Turner, were in attendance.
27:06
Rotarian Cheryl McGraw told the audience that the fifth candidate,
27:10
Democratic Andy Democrat Andy Anthony Gullett was unable to attend
27:14
due to illness. The following are brief synopsis of their
27:17
remarks in the order for which they spoke. John Paul Turner, Democrat.
27:22
Turner a current deputy of the Morgan County Sheriff's Office.
27:26
MCSO spoke of his thirty three year career with West
27:29
Liberty Police Department, Kentucky State Police and MCSO. I spent
27:34
almost my entire adult life in as a police officer
27:38
serving the citizens of this county in eastern Kentucky. He
27:42
stated that his priorities as a sheriff would include hiring
27:44
two new deputies, one for undercover drug investigations and one
27:48
to expand patrols to twenty four hours, as well as
27:51
improving MCSO's radio communications for faster response teams times and
27:57
enhanced officer safety. I'll have to end this article at
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this time. It's all the time we have. This concludes
28:04
excerpts from recent editions of The Licking Valley Courier. Your
28:08
reader has been Chris greco On behalf of everyone here
28:10
at radio. I thank you for listening, keep on listening,
28:13
and I hope you have a very good day.